This was the year of the second restaurant, the Vetri offspring, and the Belgian bistro boom. The plates got smaller. The wines came by the glass. And pork bellies became the new short rib.

No, none of the new stars were able to quite crack the city's four-bell restaurant elite. But 2007, in many ways, was a year in which Philadelphia's dining scene grew in significant ways. With the usually noisy Stephen Starr machine momentarily quiet, the next generation stepped to the fore with big ambitions.

Jose Garces, whom I am tagging my Chef of the Year, proved with the exquisite small plates at Tinto (his smash-hit Rittenhouse pintxo bar) that Amada was no tapas fluke. We'll be hearing much more from this young Latin maestro soon, as he expands his empire to West Philadelphia and beyond (like his hometown, Chicago).

But Garces was hardly the only chef with a new restaurant on his mind. More than a quarter of the 45 restaurants I reviewed this year were second locations, from Xochitl (from the Marigold crew), to Susanna Foo's Gourmet Kitchen in Radnor, to the revived Silk City Diner (from the gastropublicans at N. 3rd), and Rae from Daniel Stern.

Rae, Stern's expansive contemporary brasserie in the ultramodern Cira Centre, was a hitch slower than some others to reach its potential. But it was among three of the six restaurants revisited at year's end that did improve enough to step up a rating.

Meanwhile, Marc Vetri's casual new second place, Osteria, my Restaurant of the Year, was a home run from the start. With authentic rustic Italian cooking, a fabulous lofty space, and a wood-fired, thin-crusted margherita that was instantly the best pizza in town, Osteria is an image-changing pioneer for North Broad Street.

Osteria was also the debut for one of our brightest young chefs, Jeff Michaud, who was one of three former Vetri sous-chefs this year to earn three bells. Chip Roman at Conshohocken's Blackfish and Jim Burke at James in Bella Vista were the others. Dionicio Jimenez, crafting inventive nuevo Mexican food at Xochitl, was nearly a fourth, but sits at a solid two bells for now.

Menus trended toward wine bars and small plates, from Malvern's Cosimo to Doylestown's Honey. Belgian pubs continued to bubble up, from moody Zot in Headhouse Square to Teresa's Next Door on the Main Line.

Some neighborhoods began to show new life through a restaurant surge, like Fishtown with Ida Mae's, and even the Northeast, which has an ambitious BYOB with Rylei. It was also a banner year for South Jersey, which acquired worthwhile newcomers in Kitchen 233, Onasis, Blackbird and Fuji, a successful Haddonfield relocation for one of my favorite chefs, Japanese master Matt Ito.

Ito's stunning omakase tasting was just one of the many highlights of my eating adventures. There was Liberian fufu soup at Memdee's in Southwest Philly. A garlicky bowl of perfect cockles over spaghetti alla chitarra at the relocated Tre Scalini. A dangerous new addiction in the butter chicken from Tiffin, which has redefined ethnic takeout with its perfectly timed, GPS-guided delivery guys.

And then, of course, there was the eight-course autumn feast at Talula's Table in Kennett Square, the splendid new gourmet market from Django founders Aimee Olexy and Bryan Sikora, who cook dinner for just one private party each night. It was my Most Memorable Meal of the year, even though it wasn't formally rated. I'll need at least one more dinner there before I can toll those bells, and the next available seating isn't until July.

Yet another reason to look forward to 2008.

Talula's Table

Aimee Olexy and Bryan Sikora, the original owners of Django, have traded their Center City BYOB for a gourmet market in the heart of horse country. The store features stellar artisan cheeses, fabulous baked goods, and standout prepared foods, from awesome lobster pot pies to Sikora's homemade sausages. The private tasting dinners served at the market's farm table, though, are among the region's most special (and hard to reserve) dining experiences.

Note: Talula's farm table dinner is not formally rated because it has not yet been visited multiple times. Featured Oct. 14.

EXCELLENT

Blackbird Dining Establishment

REVISIT: Alex Capasso has resurfaced with a hit in his owner-chef debut at this casually elegant new BYOB in Collingswood. The former chef of Max's and Misto deftly melds French and Italian techniques with international flavors for exciting contemporary dishes that easily rank among South Jersey's best cooking.

Capasso's widely publicized dining-room tussle with a customer, and a spate of disappointed reports, raised concerns that Blackbird was losing focus. But a recent lunch was as impressive as my review dinners, including a perfect roast chicken with herbed risotto and an $18 bento-box special (lamb, mussels, luxe mac n' cheese) that was a particularly great deal. Reviewed Sept. 16; revisited December.

Blackfish

A new BYO star has risen in the storefront space of the former Maya Bella, where ex-Vetri/Le Bec-Fin hand Chip Roman has brightened the rooms and is producing a stellar bistro-plus menu full of clever surprises, from foie gras streaked with cinnamon oil to seafood flavored with spruce. Service also shows some polish. Reviewed Feb. 18.

Fuji Authentic Japanese Restaurant

The move from his longtime Cinnaminson outpost to a Haddonfield mini-mall hasn't dimmed Matt Ito's exquisite Japanese cooking one bit. His creative kaiseki tastings remain one of the region's most special eating adventures, while the standard menu rises on quality ingredients and authentic preparations. The room is simple but pretty; service needs work. Reviewed Aug. 5.

James

Former Vetri sous-chef Jim Burke has teamed with wife Kristina to bring an impressive taste of contemporary fine dining to Bella Vista. The muted green room has a sleek modern look, and the staff can be a bit effusive. But the kitchen backs it up with exciting (albeit pricey) little dishes that vividly pair great local ingredients with authentic Italian techniques. Reviewed May 6.

Osteria

Marc Vetri's long-awaited second restaurant brings authentic Italian comfort food (including some amazing pizzas) to a lively North Broad Street space that melds an urban loft with the rustic warmth of country tables and a glassed-in churchyard patio. It's (slightly) less expensive and more accessible than Vetri, and already the city's next-best Italian. Reviewed May 20.